


Howl

by thewaywetalk



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2018-09-17 23:29:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9351230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewaywetalk/pseuds/thewaywetalk
Summary: "If you could only see the beast you've made of me. I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free. Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart..."Edward changed Bella shortly after the first night of the honeymoon, she became a vampire and doesn't want to risk herself with Charlie. The Cullens leave Forks before the pack can do anything about it. Jacob is left broken hearted as a result. The pack and La Push reservation all seem to be headed back to normal.Leah wants it to all be normal. But her body is changing and she doesn't understand why. She has blackouts and can't seem to squash her arousal every time she catches sight of her broken hearted packmate and her inner wolf reacting to him...as is his.





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't read any of the books for over six years and I only ever saw the first movie before I grew out of it so a lot is fuzzy and I'm taking a lot of liberties with it all. I hope you can enjoy it!
> 
> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters

PRELUDE:

  
A large grey wolf worked in the light of the moon, digging and digging around the large carved out rock she had found. She moved her front paws rapidly, dusting off the soil. The wolf sniffed, calmly walking into rock’s entry. She discovered it was deep enough to let her walk more, towards the back. Dusting off soil here and there. The wolf smelled and explored her new space, whined in approval as she noticed the narrow entryway expanded into a real cave.

  
She sniffed and looked around. The cave was large. Large enough for maybe three wolves her size. But, there wouldn’t be three wolves, just her and her mate. The grey wolf’s fur shimmered, shook as if the wolf itself was changing, getting smaller, to the size of a real grey wolf.  The bones broke more, the wolf whined, and eventually fur receded back into the pores of the smooth copper skin of a young woman. She was crouched on her hands, letting her knees fall to the ground.

  
She was breathing deeply, gasping for air. She looked up, her eyes shined gold. Her actions were of an animal, not a woman of twenty-one. She was on her hands, her knees bending a bit, resembling the wolf that had previously been where she crouched.

A shiver went down her spine. The wolf wanted back out, the color of her eyes shone bright gold again.

She transformed again, fur growing out, bones breaking and mending quickly into a lupine shape, a growl, then a whine were let out.

She ran out the cave, into the night.

Running through the forest, a grey blur through the thick trees.

  
~*~*~*~

  
_Dude, did you feel that?_

  
Brady thought out, he was running patrol with his pack brother, Quil. Quil was older, phased earlier and was more experienced. Their pack leader, Sam, had thought to let the pups gain experience by running with a mentor of sorts.

_Yeah, I did._

The thought was hesitant. They had felt the shimmer, a sense that ran through their minds as a fellow pack member shifted into wolf form. But they couldn’t pinpoint the mind of their pack member.

_I don’t hear anything._

_Maybe one of the others lost their temper and shifted back when they realized it?_

Quil didn’t really believe that himself. But it was strange, to feel a pack member shift but not hear their thoughts. The last time that happened, Jacob had gone wolf and ran to Canada.

_We should tell Sam when we switch with the others, but don’t worry I’m sure it’s nothing._


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters

Chapter One:

Leah woke up feeling sore. That was normal for her on mornings after she had run patrol, but Sam had organized it so each pack member had at least two full days to themselves, along with a cutting back to shorter shifts of six hours, so eight members worked the day or night in pairs and could still have a reasonably productive day.

Her day off had been yesterday. She had had a morning shift the day before that, there was no reason to be sore. She opened her eyes, turned her head to her clock, a bright blue 7:51 shone back to her.

Not too early, but she usually slept another half hour or so. She stretch on her bed, pushing her back off it, her shoulders digging into her mattress, hands stretched, and legs too. She moaned loudly. Feeling a jolt of _something_ run through her. She relaxed back, trying to retrace her steps of the days before. Something must have made her feel sore, but nothing in particular came to mind. She sighed, got up and headed to the bathroom in the hall that she shared with Seth.

She heard, and smelled, breakfast being prepared downstairs. She washed her face, relieved herself, and prepared to shower.

“Leah! Honey is that you?!” Sue yelled from the kitchen.

“I’m gonna shower mom!” she shouted back, turning the water on, twisting it as hot as it could go. She heard Seth’s grunt in his sleep, the noise disturbing him, but not waking him.

Leah took off her loose t-shirt and shorts she used for pajamas. Stepping into the steaming shower, her muscles relaxed under the burning water. Had she not been a werewolf, she would have burns on her body. But her body temperature alone was as hot, if not hotter, than the water running over her. She washed herself, going through her routine of cleaning her body, then her short choppy hair.

 _I need another cut_. Leah thought sadly. She hated her short hair. She missed having multiple ways to style it. Not that she would do anything with it now. Even if the hair on her head didn’t magically determine her fur as wolf, she ran around with half naked teenage boys and her ex. She wasn’t dolling herself up for anyone.

The thought made her stop. Remembering when she would let her hair fall down her back, her hair naturally waving a bit. Sam had said he loved her hair, running his fingers through it. The thought made her remember a time with him in the very shower she was in. A heated moment between lovers. Her hair trapped between the shower wall and her wet back, as her boyfriend thrust himself into her, hard and fast. It was the fever of teenagers discovering new ways to pleasure themselves, and each other.

She felt the heat, the pull beneath her belly. As she remembered sneaking Sam into her house while her parents worked and her brother was at school. She had skipped her afternoon and he had been done with the landscaping work he'd been given. Leah felt her wetness increase as she remembered him teasing her about getting her dirty with his hands. She had suggested they shower together, to keep clean. She distracted herself now with her hand.

 _It’s been too long_.

“Leah!” Seth banged on the door, “Hurry up, I have to pee!”

 _Moment’s gone._  She thought sadly.  _I_ _have to make sure to forget about this before patrol._ “Use mom's! Or the toilet downstairs!”

“And if I flush and you get iced it’s not my fault then!” She heard her brother stomp down the stairs into the half-bath. She quickly turned the water off, taking her purple towel off the rack and drying her feet, taking her other towel to wrap around her body.

Grabbing her pajamas off the floor and walking towards her room, Leah tried to calm herself. Her heart was slowing itself. She shook her head, not believing that for the first time in almost six months she had thought about her Alpha like lover and not a pain in her ass. Worse, she was actually desiring sex for the first time in almost two years.

_Today is gonna be fucking weird._

Leah helped her mom wash and dry dishes as they all prepared for the day. Seth was headed off to school, Sue to her shift at the clinic, and Leah to her own shift as a records clerk at the _Forks Gazette_.

She, her family, the pack and their own families were trying to live as normal lives as possible. The Cullens had left not long after the wedding, giving the pack an answer about the Bella problem, and crushing one of their own.

Leah thought of Jacob Black and his “downfall” as she had dubbed it. He had run to Charlie, keeping it calm long enough to hear Charlie tell him that his precious Bella had gotten sick at the end of her honeymoon. How she had then called three days later to say she was fine and she would be back eventually, that she and her hubby Edward wanted to see the world and travel and whatnot.

He lost it after that, shifting in front of Charlie, thankfully running in a different direction and not maiming the Chief of Police. But he didn't stop until his legs gave way and he collapsed. Quil and Embry found him almost 100 hundred miles south, so weak his body had shifted him back to human. Naked and broken. Seth had arrived with a rather calm Charlie, they picked him up into his cruiser and took him home. Billy had let them into his house and told his best friend the truth with the help of Seth and Quil and Embry. They told him about the wolves at least. The pack had known what Bella’s words really meant. Sick had meant turning and when she recovered and wasn’t a raging newborn vamp wanting to eat her own father she might see him again. But it wasn’t their place to tell Charlie his daughter chose immortality and blood sucking instead of her family. Instead of Jacob.

Sam had been pissed about the telling another mortal, about the Cullens finding a loophole in the treaty. But by the time everyone really understood what was happening the Cullen mega-mansion was abandoned. It was two weeks after the truth came out that Charlie received a letter from the doc, apologizing for the sudden move. Explaining everything neatly. The ‘teenagers’ going off to study in Europe and he and his wife off to South America for Doctors Without Borders. Everyone was safe he said, perhaps when Edward and Bella found their way back to Forks, they would tag along. Or he could visit them, they’d pay of course, he was family after all. A fairytale end for the Creepy Cullen Coven.

After that Jacob was different. He slept for a whole two days after Quil and Embry found him, not just on the way back to La Push, but after when he was back too. He even lost weight. His dad would leave him food to eat, but he wouldn’t touch it. On the third day of it, Sam tried to Alpha Order him to eat, to get back to his life as pack member. He was weak enough it worked. Jacob ate, slept and ran his patrol shifts. Anyone paired with him would try not to scare him off, and would have to tune him out. He only ever thought four words over and over.

_Bella. Gone. Dead. Vampire. Bella. Gone. Dead. Vampire. Bella. Gone. Dead. Vampire._

It scared them all.

It had been almost four months since it all happened. He spoke some more now, not much, but more. Enough that the entire reservation just knew to not approach him unless necessary. He had become the reservation’s loaner. He only left his house to patrol. He missed pow wows. Seth, Quil and Embry were usually sent to deliver any important news.

Sam didn’t push him to come. Pow wows were no longer meetings about how to handle any vamps coming around for the Cullens or them, they were celebratory. Time to spend with imprints and hanging out, laughing with bonfires lighting up your night and trying to see just _how_ much beer it took to get a werewolf drunk.

They still patrolled, still protected their tribe, but life changed, had gone back to being a rather quiet. The supernatural didn’t seem to want to rear its ugly head again.

Leah shook her head, thinking about Jacob made her sort of depressed. Reminded her too much of her time moping about Sam. Of how hurt she had been. It was still there yes, but fainter. It would soon become a pang of a life long gone. And hopefully, eventually, nothing but a distant memory.

"I'm off, see you this afternoon sweetheart," Sue's words and kiss on the cheek stopped her thoughts for a moment. She went to change, thinking about the upcoming nuptials.

It had been almost two years since he had broken her heart and now Sam and Emily’s wedding was in full progression. She was to wear a dress she begrudgingly liked. A soft pink, long dress that ended at midcalf.  Emily had spared it anymore more feminine details. Leah secretly thanked her for it. At five-foot-ten she would have already stood out besides the imprints.

_Because of course they’re also bridesmaids._

Kim and Rachel would stand beside her, along with Emma the maid of honor. All of them petite pretty things, with curves meant to be touched and caressed. No signs of battle of fights against cold corpses. 

_They were meant to be imprinted on and be happy._

Even little Claire would be the flower girl. The perfect pack wedding.

Leah breathed in deeply, slowly exhaling when she finished counting to ten. She was a bit different now. Maybe it was seeing Jacob lose it and how uncomfortable it made everyone, especially Billy. It had made her decide to try being part of the pack, try to be a better daughter for Sue and better sister for Seth. She had taken up meditation, breathing exercises. They helped keep her temper down and no one bothered to try to interrupt her chant during patrols.

_Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. One. Two. Breathe out. One. Two. Breathe in. Breathe Out._

Of course the repetition bugged some of the pack, but it was better than her thinking about her lack of period or being barren or about Embry’s paternal side or any of the other asinine thoughts she spewed before on her mind megaphone. So they let her be. She wasn’t holding hands with everyone and hanging out every time the opportunity showed itself but it was better than before. She had even gotten a job.

_And I might be late contemplating the downfall of Jacob Black._

She quickly dried her hands and headed towards the bus stop outside of La Push. Her bus ride would be 20 minutes of a quiet time before her eight hours spent in the backroom of records. She didn’t mind the job, it was money she could save and use to help her mom. The paper was trying to put about 85 years worth of daily newspapers onto computers and drives. That took time, and someone who didn’t mind spending eight hours sifting through papers and scanning and verifying that it was correct and saving into organized folders and repeating it again. And again. And again. Leah couldn’t help but think they should have started when computers first became a thing, but again it was cash and she didn’t have to deal with people like the reporters and editors did. Besides, she estimated she had about six months of work left before they cut her out or she found a way to stick around.

Life had settled for her. She was, well she wasn’t happy per se, but she was alive and so far nothing bad had happened to her again. So she would deal with it. With the vampire family gone, Leah couldn’t think of anything that could really change her life that drastically.

She wasn’t wishing for it either.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters

Jacob woke up startled. He’d been dreaming but he couldn’t remember what it was about. He rolled over onto his stomach. He winced as he felt an ache in his lower abdomen. He rolled again, onto his back. Jacob moaned as he reached beneath his boxer shorts, his erection making him feel hot and tense. He pushed his member down, not bothering to try and pleasure himself. He hadn’t been the same for the past four months.

_Since Bella_

He had thought of her in such way before of course, he was a teenager after all. But that had been when he still thought he had a chance with her, now it seemed useless, and somewhat wrong. He shifted in bed again, the ache not subsiding. Jacob felt a shiver, he reached for his erection again. A vision of copper skin and ebony hair running through his mind. He moaned again, gripping himself tighter, pumping his hand around his cock at an initial slow pace. He shifted on his bed again, his abdomen contracted as he touched himself. He ran this thumb over the tip, spreading his precum down, aiding in pumping his hand faster.

His heart began to beat wildly. He wasn’t thinking about the tent, so long ago, when held Bella in his arms. Nor did he think of the couple of kisses they had shared. His actions were innate, his mind not on a person but the act itself. He could almost picture it, two bodies thrusting against each other. Himself and _someone._ He continued his actions for a couple minutes, inching closer and closer to the edge. He gasped as he came, slowly touching himself now, letting his heart rate decrease, his breathing slow down.

He opened his eyes and sighed. He couldn't help but think,

_Today is gonna be fucking weird._

~*~*~

Jacob didn’t know why, but shortly after showering and breakfast, he felt the urge to  _do something_. He had spent the past four months with a rather simple routine. All he ever did was sleep, eat, run patrol and repeat. Now, it was like a jolt of energy had run through his body.

He started by cleaning out his room. He didn’t rummage through his closet or drawers, not wanting to face anything Bella related in particular, he couldn’t just yet. He changed his bedsheets at least, picked up the scattered clothing dotting his bedroom floor. He threw it all in the hamper, and then actually did the laundry. He proceeded to clean around his house, he and Billy weren’t particularly messy people, but Billy bound to a wheelchair couldn’t do much of the heavy duty housework, or anything that really required him to bend. Jacob knew Rachel spent most of her time at Paul’s, and even when she stopped by once a week to clean a bit and help with groceries, it didn't mean she had the house running in tip top shape. She didn’t, couldn't, do everything. He felt guilty, she didn’t have to, that was his responsibility.

After cleaning the shared living space and bathrooms, Jacob went outside. The crisp October air not really bothering his hot werewolf skin. He wore plain jeans and black V-neck that had previously hugged his body. It was a bit loose now. He decided to work on the leaves that had piled up on the yard. Knowing Billy would be too proud to ask anyone, and too kind to remind him. He filled four bags with leaves, leaving them on the curb to be picked up the next day. He washed the Rabbit, his bike, Billy’s old truck, he even mowed the lawn, but he still felt like there was _something_ he should do.

He wanted, he _needed_ to get out. So he walked away from his house, he ended up near the edge of the forest, walking further into the thicker greens to conceal himself. He undressed, folding his shirt, socks and underwear and then placing them neatly on the ground. He placed his boots besides them, using some foliage to cover it all up. He tied his jeans around his ankle, and breathed deeply.

His body shook, multiple tremors passed through him as his bones broke and mended beneath his russet skin. Skin that was then replaced by fur just a shade darker. His face sprouting a snout, mouth full now of sharp canines. Once his transformation was complete, the large formidable wolf began to run.

He had no direction in particular, nothing mapped out in his brain. But by now it had been almost a full year since he had first phased, he knew his way around the land surrounding La Push and Forks, he could run it with eyes closed.

Jacob barely registered the two pack members currently running patrol, he could hear them joking and speaking to one another. From the conversation it was Jared and Paul, talking about their imprints.

_Jacob? Is that you? Are you coming to the pow wow later?_

Jacob didn’t respond, just continued to run, run and run.

_Just ignore him, he’ll be fine._

He made it to the end of the old boarder. He passed the invisible line that had previously prevented them from running into Cullen territory. The russet wolf eventually tore through the green trees, into the clearing that held the tall, foreboding mansion. His paws ruining the grass that had once been well kept and manicured. There were weeds overgrowing the closer he approached the house.

The Cullen’s abandoned home wasn’t a dilapidated mansion of some old gothic novel, but it had seen better days. A couple of the windows showed signs of someone trying to break in, they had cracked the glass but only one seemed fully broken.

Shifting easily into his human skin, Jacob approached the house, robotically pulling on his jeans. He sniffed the air around him, the stench of vampires had decreased significantly. It was still there faintly, as he jumped in through the window, though Jacob noticed it didn’t get stronger in the house.

He stepped on broken glass beneath the window, cutting his feet and healing just as fast. He walked around, the mansion was bare. Jacob didn’t know why he came here, but it seemed to call to him, being the last place he ever saw Bella. He remembered dancing with her in her wedding dress.

_So beautiful_

His thoughts of her brought the painful knowledge – she was no longer alive. He had been so sure his heart and body would know the second she was no longer alive, before his brain did. That somehow he would know even before he asked Charlie what was happening. He would feel it. He had been so sure of that.

But he hadn’t and he almost killed Charlie in the process when he revealed the truth. He hadn’t seen the man since he learned about Bella’s transformation. His dad and Charlie had gone out in the time since, were out together today in fact, but his father always got one of the pack members or Sue to drive him to Forks if he wasn't up for driving his old truck. He did not want Charlie so close to La Push, he was trying to avoid having to explain to Charlie any more about his lifestyle, his people, his broken hearted son. The police chief took it well enough, not asking too many questions, trying to not really think about the kids he had known for most of their lives turning into giant wolves. For that he was thankful.

_-Crack-_

Jacob’s head snapped to the side. He sensed himself being watched, he took tentative steps towards the back of the house, where he sourced the sound.

He looked through the giant glass wall in the back, he tried to search for something that could have caused the sound. He sighed and shook his head as he noticed a grey wolf on the outskirts of the house’s yard. The wolf approached the house. Jacob frowned he wasn’t really looking for company. He’d become quite the loaner in the past four months. Besides, La Push’s sardonic she-wolf wasn’t on his list of people he enjoyed hanging out with before, she still wasn’t now.

He moved towards the kitchen, it had one of the many exits in the house. He heard the rustling of clothes and sat on the marble counter, his back to the approaching werewolf. He closed his eyes.

“Please leave,” his voice croaked, lack of usage for the past four months. The hairs on the back of neck stood up, he could sense her, her stare burning two holes into the back of his head. He smelled her faint scent too. The lavender soap she had used, and something all her own, it stuck to her skin but filled the air around him. He felt a bit dizzy.

_Hungry, haven’t eaten since breakfast._

He assumed his guess was correct, it had been past noon when he washed the cars. He had skipped both lunch and dinner.

“Don’t worry I’m not sticking around for long,” Leah paused and then approached the side of the counter, towards him. He saw the tall woman through his peripheral vision, “I just came to tell you that Sam said it was really important we all be at the pow wow tonight. Paul mentioned seeing you a couple hours ago, and since it wasn’t our turn to patrol, we all thought you might want to join us.”

Jacob slowly turned to face her, he blinked. He hadn’t really seen her in the past four months. They ran patrol together a few times but that was all in wolf form, all that had been was grey blur and her breathing exercises. He hadn’t been able to believe that she had become the most tolerable pack mate. She didn’t bother him, he didn’t bother her. They had come to an understanding of sorts. Tonight had been their night shift to patrol. She was staring back at him, a familiar face yet somehow new to him too, waiting for his response.

“Maybe” he said, staring back at her. She seemed to gulp and clearly wanted to say something.

“Ok, see you then –maybe.” She stuck around for half a second, before walking away quickly.

_Am I such a mess I scare Leah, of all people, away?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel the need to say that you shouldn't expect me to always update so quickly, I just was really inspired tonight. Also I've looked up the ages and Bella was three years older to Jacob's 16 years at the end of the series, and Leah four years - I hope I did the math from the wiki correctly. But it doesn't matter either way I'm messing with it all. Leah is 21, Jacob is about to turn 19 and was only ever one year younger than Bella. So I'm using that because I don't care to write about teh sex with underage people. That being said, I've rated this M because of the context of arousal and heat amongst wolves, I don't think I'll get too explicit.


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters

Leah didn’t understand her reaction to seeing Jacob. It was a mix of concern and… _something._ She couldn’t name it but seeing Jacob had stirred in her a feeling that didn’t feel familiar. He had seemed so much smaller sitting there on the counter of the Cullen house. It reminded her of her first months after Sam broke up with her. She wanted to touch his shoulder, to tell him it would be ok, but the idea of touching him in that moment seemed so _intimate._ She wasn’t someone to initiate intimacy, even platonically touching a pack mate’s shoulder.

The word itself had changed for her. Intimacy had been something between two lovers. It was something that meant being naked with someone else, because it was the manifestation of physical lovemaking. To her, intimacy was only ever the personal relations between two lovers. The idea of such closeness with someone, not a lover, was strange. Especially when she remembered that she _had_ seen Jacob naked before. She had seen all her pack brothers naked. She blushed when she realized that perhaps Jacob looked different now, smaller, less defined. She shook her head. Her thoughts were all jumbled and messy, today _had_ been such a weird day. She had to head to the pow wow, Sam had excused Jacob and her for the night. When Seth mentioned the pardon, she wondered why. What was so important that every pack member be present?

She neared the bright bonfire light, the scent of the burgers and hot dogs they were preparing making her mouth water. She noticed the pack there, just Jacob and herself missing. Jared, Paul and Sam with all their imprints. Leah sighed, noticing she was getting better at seeing Emily by Sam’s side. No jolt of pain running from her heart to the rest of her body. She merely felt like an intruder. The three couples, who were the embodiment of true love, always made her feel uneasy, even if the rest of the pack was present. Quil, Seth and Embry were off to the side, speaking to one another with smiles on their faces. The pups were there too. Colin and Brady played with a soccer ball behind the bonfire, laughing at one another. Everyone seemed so happy. And Leah now felt hesitant, like she didn’t belong.

Seth looked up as she approached, a giant smile forming on his face. He got up and Quil and Embry followed along, also smiling brightly.

“You convinced him!”

For a second, Leah was confused. Embry, Quil and Seth rushed to her, looking past her. She turned around and was surprised to find Jacob merely inches away from her. She stopped herself, almost startled.

“Oh,” she didn’t know what to say, just stared forward, her line of sight meeting his chest. How long had he been behind her? Did he follow her? Why didn’t she feel him, sense him, hear him?

“Man it’s good to see you out!” Embry jumped past her and tackled Jacob with a giant hug. She took two steps back. As Embry pulled away, Quil stepped in, patting Jacob’s back with loud thuds.

“Long time no see bro!” The three stayed close, she could almost feel how happy they were to see their friend out.

“Yeah Jake, I think I’ve grown a foot since you last came to one of these,” she felt Seth wrap his arm around her, her baby brother standing tall next to her. She laughed, it was true, a regular sixteen year old would shoot up like a weed, werewolf puberty was something different. Seth had shot up another four inches in just as many months. The only ones still taller than him were Jacob and Paul. Seth and Jake shook hands, adding strange steps to the greeting. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

_Boys_

“Since everyone is here, maybe we should start!” They all turned to look at the circle forming around the bonfire. Sue and Old Quil each sat to Billy’s sides, the smile on his face indicated his content at the sight of his son.

They took the empty spaces the pack had left. Leah sitting between Seth and Jacob. She still felt strange at the feel of having him so close. She hoped she was being discreet when she slowly pulled away, making sure her body didn’t touch his.

_What the hell?_

Her interactions with Jacob had been weird, from the Cullen house to the heat of his body next to her now. Billy cleared his throat.

“We have some matters to discuss. A lot has changed in the past year or so and we want to ensure not only the safety of our people but the capabilities of the pack. We need to adjust to the needs of the situation, but also ensure we can still prevent any harm. Sam?” Billy turned to the Alpha next to Old Quil. Letting go of Emily’s hand, Sam stood up and spoke.

“It has been some time since the Cullen family has left Forks,” Leah made sure to move only her eyes to gauge Jacob’s reaction to hearing the name. She felt Seth shift a bit and noticed Quil and Embry look at each other before glancing at Jacob, who kept his eyes on the bonfire, his face expressionless. “Since then, there have been no accidents with our tribe, or Forks. We haven’t had any run-ins with any of the Cold Ones, nor have we caught any scent nearby.”

Sam briefly looked at the counsel, they all nodded. Sue smiled and looked at Seth and Leah.

“Our elders tell me that this is similar to the last time the Cullens left. Once they left our surroundings, trouble left with them. It means we can go back to living our lives, to settle into new routines.”

They looked at one another, smiling and suddenly the air buzzed with new energy, all anticipating what Sam’s words meant.

“Don’t get too excited,” Sam added but he smiled, “I’m cutting back the patrols, yes, but to nights only. We have an idea of what can happen now, but there is no guarantee that history will repeat itself. Our pack is still fairly new, and it is larger and far different the one sixty years ago.”

He was implying the imprints, the young ages of some of them, but also Leah herself. She was after all, the female werewolf in the history of the Quileute tribe. She shifted a bit, bumping arms with Jacob and feeling a sting of heat from his bared skin. He seemed captivated by the fire, not acknowledging her at all.

Sam continued, “Seth, Colin and Brady: you three get the week off for school and one free weekend every two weeks, ok? I expect you to coordinate your assignments and school work and be able to figure out a schedule on your own. The rest of us will rotate, starting tonight with myself. We’ll go in order of when we phased, tomorrow Paul, then Jared Friday. Monday, Embry will start the week and so on, got it?” Nods and murmurs went around, with the pups taking weekends it meant a week could go by without any patrols to be run. Leah couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

_An entire week off!_

“Wait, we really get the weekends off?” Embry’s loud question filled the air.

Sam laughed, “Yes. I do expect us to help out the pups should they need it,” he turned to look at Colin and Brady off to the side, then Seth across the fire from him, “but I’m sure they’re intelligent enough to not need our help constantly.”

“Oh hell yeah! FREEDOM!!” Paul pumped his fist and jumped up, his screams mixed with the cheers of the rest of the pack. Excitement filled the air, Sue, Billy and Old Quil gave their blessings for the food to be handed out. The pack members tore through at least two servings each. Someone had even brought enough family size bags of chips for each member. There was soda for the pups, and of course a six pack of beer for each remaining member. Everyone was laughing and joking and each pack member stood tall, like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

Leah sat with Seth and Quil, she looked to the water, where the waves flowed into the sand. A giant figure silhouetted in the moonlight stood next to another, shorter one. Jacob and Billy. Leah saw Jacob nod his head, Billy’s head turned to his son with a smile on his face. Jacob placed his hand on Billy’s shoulder, needing to bend a bit to reach his father, nodding and smiling at their exchange of words.

“What do you mean someone phased but you don’t know who?” Seth’s words made Leah turn back to the group. Quil shifted in his seat, looking towards where Sam, Emily, Sue and his grandfather still sat in front of the fire.

“I meant it _felt_ like someone phased, but I couldn’t hear their thoughts, I was gonna bring it up tonight but I forgot in the excitement of it all, and I don’t wanna ruin it for everyone.” He looked at the pups as they played soccer with Embry, Paul, Jared and their imprints. “Brady was with me.”

Silence took over for them. No one wanted to stop the lax patrol schedule Sam had just proposed, they had to say something though.

“When was this again?” Leah asked.

“Last night, I was on the six to midnight shift. But we only really felt it near the end.” He hesitated, “We felt the phase in. We never felt the mind of the wolf, only them phasing in, and never phase back.”

Leah suddenly felt uncomfortable. She remembered being sore that morning. _Can you sleep-phase? Is there such a thing?_ Being the only female wolf, Leah didn’t put it past her ancestors to find yet another way to laugh at her expense.

“Maybe it was someone else who just wanted to, I dunno clear their mind?” Seth supplied his weak answer, frowning then suddenly straightening up. “Leah, sometimes it’s like you’re not there on patrol! Do you think you could ever clear your mind like that?”

“It wasn’t me.” Leah started, but answered her brother’s question, “but I mean, I guess if I really focused enough…maybe?” Seth seemed satisfied with the answer and Quil was suddenly distracted by the arrival of Claire and her mom. He ran up to them and held Claire for a bit before tossing her in the air, her cheerful squeals were heard loudly.

“Mommy look! I can fly!” Everyone laughed at the little girl’s antics, and with Quil gone, Seth had no reason to worry anymore. Leah sighed, she had eaten and mingled, _sorta mingled anyway,_ there wasn’t any reason to stay. She waved goodbye at Seth as he and Quil played soccer with Claire and the pups. She approached her mom preparing more food, hugged her and kissed her cheek goodbye. As she walked away she heard a creak of wheels behind her.

“Care to walk an old man home?” Billy Black rolled his wheelchair towards the path she was about to follow. A small smile on his face.

Leah nodded, a smiling softly back. “Werewolf escort at your service.” Saluting him.

She walked in silence, she strangely felt the chill of the night. Billy rolled his wheelchair beside her.

“I want to thank you for convincing Jacob to come tonight. I was worried when I came back and saw him gone. But, I was happy to see him with you.”

Leah looked down at the elder next to her, hesitated and then spoke. “I…didn’t say much to him. Just told him what Seth had said.

Billy frowned, “you mean you haven’t been with him all day? He did everything by himself?”

Leah shook her head, her hair swinging out from behind her ears, “no, Billy I’ve been at work. What did he do?”

Billy sighed, shook his head, “Nothing, just something he’s been putting off.” He seemed frustrated.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine Billy.” Leah said they approached the single story home Billy shared with his son.

“I know. He’s strong.” Billy rolled up the ramp and Leah began again on her way down to her house. But she heard her name, so she turned and saw Billy. The yellow lights of his home shone on him, with a shadow over his face he spoke, “You’re strong too.” He rolled deeper into his house and Leah could have sworn the shadow cast on his yard was of a tall man standing, but he shut the door before she could see.

Leah headed back again towards her house. She inhaled deeply, slowly exhaling after a five second count. Her day had been weird and she tried to clear her mind as she headed home. Images of the day flashing through her mind’s eye. Records, books, dust, bus, running in wolf form, the Cullen house, Jacob. Jacob’s skin. Jacob’s heat next to hers. Jacob’s face lit in gold by the fire. Jacob’s smile. Jacob.

She ended up thinking about her pack mate the rest of the way back. Still thought of him as she dressed for bed, brushed her teeth, and finally went to bed. She didn’t question it at all, partly due to not noticing just how much the younger man was occupying her thoughts. She closed her eyes for bed and thought of his face again, it turned into his russet furred wolf before she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters
> 
> Again, idk how but I'm getting these chapters out now cause I can but they will slow down. (I mean I hope they don't but they might so yeah.)

“Wake up! Come on Lee! Sam’s here and he’s pissed!”

Leah groaned, she pulled her bedsheet over her face, muttering a “goway” to whoever it was that was bothering her and turned, feeling her body tense and sore like the day before. She had _just_ closed her eyes it seemed.

“Sam! This is my house and you can’t just invite yourself in!” Her mother’s words rang fainter than Seth’s but she still heard them.

“wasgoinon?”

“Sam said you were out and attacked him! What the hell Leah! WAKE UP!!”

Leah bolted up, almost hitting her head with Seth’s as he had been bent over trying to wake her. She winced, sluggishly moving the rest of her body. It felt like her head was trying to catch up with the rapid movement of sitting up.

“Wait – wha?”

She was still confused, what had happened. Didn’t she just go to bed two minutes ago? It felt like it, but her window let in sunlight through her curtains and the clock read 6:23 on the nightstand. Seth looked like he’d lost some sleep and she briefly wondered if she looked as bad as she felt. She hadn’t had a hangover in over two years, but it sure as hell felt like one.

“Leah, is it true did you attack Sam?”

“What? No! I’ve been asleep since last night! I left the bonfire and was out practically within a minute of lying down!” She felt a bit dizzy, she removed her sheets and tried to get up. She swayed.

“Whoa, are you sure you’re ok? Leah?” She was looking down at her feet and Seth noticed it too. Mud. She had dried mud on her feet, up to her calves. She seemed to have regained her balance but she bolted to the bathroom. “Leah!” Seth tried to follow, she had locked herself in.

“Sam! Stop!” Seth turned to see his alpha running up the stairs, the cuts he had seen earlier on his chest had mostly closed up, leaving angry red marks. The dried blood on him looking out of place.

“She locked herself in here, she said she was asleep last night a–“

“I’m sure she did. LEAH!” he tried the door himself. “Open this door! I don’t want to break anything in your mother’s house!”

Sue came up behind Sam. She kept her distance, not knowing what Sam could do. Seth stood between his mom and his alpha, the latter of whom was shaking, a sure sign of almost phasing.

“Sam! I didn’t do it! I don’t even know what you’re accusing me of!” Leah’s voice rang back to them. But there was something in her voice, not just confusion over the accusation but also a hesitancy in her voice. Seth knew she must have been inspecting herself, the mud on her legs and feet. Sam stopped shaking and took a step back from the bathroom door.

“I was running patrol and I caught your scent. I couldn’t hear your thoughts but I found you on the edge of the old boarder. You ran from me, like you had been caught! And then when I tried to get you to stop it was like – like you couldn’t hear me. I used an Alpha Order, you attacked me, slashed at me and then ran away again.” He started to shake again. He exhaled loudly, “Leah come out.” His voice rang through the entire house. Half a second passed, and then the door swung open.

Leah slowly walked out, she had clean all the mud off herself but hadn’t wiped away the tears. She was shaking, but not from anger. Seth and Sam smelled it clearly. Fear.

“I don’t –” She looked at her mom as she stopped, gulped and blinked rapidly to stop herself from crying again. “I don’t remember any of that.” Sue walked passed Seth and Sam, and hugged her daughter. Seth took a step forward.

“I think you should leave. Give us two hours and we can get a meeting set up or something. Just elders, Leah, you and me. Please?” Sam looked back at his pack mate, his eyes narrowing at the order given to him instead of the other way around. He looked towards Leah, he could smell her fear. A bit of shame washed over him, he would have never thought she would react this way. He expected spitfire rebellion and insubordinate remarks. Not crying. The last time he had seen Leah cry had been when she phased back from her first wolf phase and found out her father had died, had seen his imprinting on Emily. She had yelled at him through tears then. Telling him to fuck off and blaming him for everything.

“Two hours, we meet at Billy’s.” He walked down the stairs and out of the house. He felt the need to go to Emily. To hold her in his arms. Leah’s attack hadn’t been too bad, but anytime he fought, he felt the need to make sure that Emily was safe too. That she was real and solid like him.

~*~*~

The two hours Sam had given them had come and gone. The Clearwaters were able to shower and eat and Sue was able to get more of her daughter’s side of the story, not that there was much to work with since Leah didn’t _remember_ her actions.

“Thanks for the space Billy. You got Jacob to leave?” Sam sat at Billy’s right in the small living room. Billy was at the head of their little set up, Sue on his left, Leah next to her, Seth and Old Quil to their lefts, coming back to Sam.

“He had already left when I woke up to you banging on my door,” he sounded a bit annoyed at the younger man, “but I had Seth send him a message saying to stay put. His note said he was out with Embry and Quil anyways. Now,” he turned to look at Leah, “want to give us your side of the story?”

Leah had been quiet the entire walk to Billy’s and as she and her family waited for Old Quil. She shifted, gripping tighter to the hand her mother held.

“I don’t actually have a side to my story,” she tried to make her voice as even as possible, putting confidence she didn’t have into it.

“So you don’t remember attacking your alpha?” Billy asked, not the kind old man who walked with her the night before, but the descendant of tribal chiefs and the son of the last alpha wolf, authoritative.

“No.” Leah said looking to him and then Sam trying not to flinch at their hard stares.

“Sam?” Billy asked.

Sam stated back what he had said at her house.

“I was running patrol, it must have been near the end, five o’clock or so. I caught Leah’s scent, wondered what she was doing out so early. Then, I realized I couldn’t hear her in my mind and tried to track her. I found her near the old boarder, close to the Cullen’s abandoned house. She didn’t notice me, nor acknowledge me until I growled. I had already tried to speak to her through our minds. Nothing. When I growled, she looked up and growled back, still nothing from her mentally, but she ran either way. I tried to Alpha Order her to stop, it didn’t work exactly. She turned and slashed her paw at me, scratching me.”

Everyone turned to look at Sam’s chest, the marks were no longer angry red. They were now thin and faded pink, he no longer had dried blood on him.

“After that, she ran away completely and I lost her. I decided to phase back and catch her at her house.”

“So you remember nothing of this?” Old Quil asked her. Leah shook her head.

“One way to find out who’s right then, the three of you phase, look at her memories.” Old Quil said, getting up and going towards the back exit.

“Agreed.” Sam said.

Seth hesitated but followed after Sam and Old Quil. Sue pushed Billy out, Leah trailing behind them.

Seth and Sam quickly undressed, throwing their clothes haphazardly around them, then they began to phase. Soon, a sandy furred wolf stood next to his black alpha. Despite having grown slightly taller than Sam in human form, Seth was still smaller than the broader black wolf next to him. They circled each other, clearly thinking at one another, Sam let out a growl, Leah was sure Seth had revealed the mud on her legs that morning.

Leah walked into the bit of trees behind Billy’s house, not wanting to be naked in front of everyone. She undressed and felt her mother behind her.

“Here, I’ll hold them.” Sue grabbed the clothes and squeezed her daughter’s shoulder “it’ll be ok Leah.” Sue walked back. Leah inhaled deeply, counted to five and then exhaled. She repeated the exercise again before letting herself phase.

_You didn’t mention the mud this morning. You **were** out last night._

_Sorry Lee._

_It’s ok Seth. And if you notice Sam, I don’t know where it came from._

Leah let her mind go back to her walk with Billy, him thanking her Jacob, her lack of involvement in changing his mood, her walk back. She did it without realizing, but she thought back to the night before without revealing all of her admiration of Jacob. She showed them her brushing her teeth, getting her ready for bed, then falling asleep. Her mind went to the next thought she remembered: this morning, then her being woken up by Seth, her confusion of it all, her fear at the mud, what it meant, Sam’s stance outside her bathroom.

_You have nothing else? I can feel it you’re holding back something Leah._

Leah growled at him. He stepped closer to her, as did Seth trying to shield her.

_I haven’t seen me supposedly attacking you either Sam._

“If that’s all phase back, no need to confront each other like this.” They all turned to Billy, calmly sitting in his chair, he wasn’t scared of the three giant wolves in his back yard.

Sam showed them his memory, just like he had explained earlier to them and the elders. Leah was shocked, that _was_ her growling and scratching at him, running away. But she didn’t remember that at all.

_I don’t remember! I – I showed you me going to bed and then being woken up. I have nothing else to show you._

It was Sam’s turn to growl.

_Leah, I order you to._

_Sam, she said that was all._

It didn’t matter, it all came out of her anyway. She felt herself burn in embarrassment as the thoughts came out, broadcasting themselves to her brother and alpha. It was just like the night before

_Records, books, dust, bus, running in wolf form, the Cullen house, Jacob. Jacob’s skin. Jacob’s heat next to hers. Jacob’s face lit in gold by the fire. Jacob’s smile. Jacob._

_Jacob?_

She felt Sam’s confusion, and something she couldn’t believe: jealousy.

_I told you it was nothing more to do with the attack!_

She turned back into the woods, phased, and thanked her mother’s quickness as she brought her her clothes.

“So? Do we have an answer?” Old Quil asked. She walked back with Sue. Seth and Sam in their shorts, Sam looked pissed, Seth confused and the elders expectant.

“She remembers nothing. But it was Leah who attacked Sam, she had dried mud on her feet this morning.” Seth said, looking at his sister apologetically.

Billy sighed, “This isn’t normal. I’ve never heard or read about such a thing before.”

Leah scoffed, and shook her head. _Can I ever be normal?_

“What does _Jacob_ have to do with this?” Sam asked, never taking his scrutiny filled eyes off Leah.

 _“Nothing”_ Leah responded, “as I told you.”

“You were with him at the old Cullen house yesterday, that’s where I found you this morning.” He thankfully left out the part where she was checking him out.

“My son was in bed all last night. And if Leah doesn’t remember leaving her bed, I don’t know what we’ll solve with you acting so hostile towards her.” Billy rolled his chair to turn back to his house, Old Quil followed.

Sam turned, walking away from them.

“Can we leave? Please?” Leah asked her mom. Sue only took her hand again, leading her back to the house. Seth closed the door behind him.

“Seth, call Rachel, tell her to meet here, without Paul,” Old Quil rummaged through Billy’s book shelves, Billy already looking through what seemed to be an old notebook at his dining table.

“Why Rachel?” Leah asked as her brother was already calling. She could still feel Sam’s angry glare.

“That girl has her mother’s habit of writing, plus she did major in one of those psychology things didn’t she?” Old Quil said.

“Early developmental psychology. Children’s psychology essentially.” Billy said.

“Still can help.”

Leah stared as the elders gathered round Billy’s small table. She sat on the couch next to Seth, who sent the text and then took hold of her hand and squeezed it.

“It’ll be ok Leah,” he said rather cheerfully considering the situation. She hoped her brother’s optimism would rub off on her. She needed it now, with her stomach in knots and her alpha, her ex-boyfriend, continued to glare at her.

She shook her knee as she waited, thinking about how she had to call off work and wasn’t going to be paid, thinking about how she didn’t even know Rachel’s major, anything but what she had revealed to Seth and Sam earlier. She didn’t remember thinking about Jacob so much. Admittedly, he had been on her mind the last few days, but she didn’t know what that had to do with her sleep-phasing problem.

She heard a jingle of keys and a cheery “Hiiii-yaaaaa! Da-ad! Seth said you needed me!”

Rachel walked into the space, noticed the wolves in the living room and the elders in the dining room.

“Soooo…what’s up?”

“We need to solve a problem and we’re hoping your degree can help us out.”

Rachel smiled proudly at her father’s words. Leah couldn’t help but be annoyed at her cheeriness.

“You still have my stuff in my room right? Haven’t put in the attic or shed?” she asked, Billy smiled and nodded.

“Ok then, give me five minutes and I will help you.” She turned on her heel and bounced down the hall into her old room. It was her moment to shine.


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters.

Jacob woke up early in the morning. He showered, dressed, wrote Billy a quick note about meeting up with Embry and Quil and headed out.

They went to a diner not far from La Push. They ate and talked and caught up and ate _again._

“And then she counted to 100 in Quileute! Just last week she was struggling past twenty!” Quil smiled as he recounted his evening with Claire and her mother. Jacob and Embry shared a look, they needed to stop him before he got any more boring. They had mostly overcome the strangeness of their best friend imprinting on a child, but it was still weird how fascinating he found the, now, three year old.

Embry shook his head, “Anyway Jake, how did Leah convince you to come to the pow wow last night?”

Jacob finished his fourth glass of orange juice, licked his lips and shrugged.

“I dunno, just felt like I had to be there.” He didn’t want to tell his friends quite yet that after Leah left the Cullen house, he had suddenly felt the urge to follow her. How he did just that, followed her lavender scent mixed with something that was all Leah and how that led him right behind her at the bonfire, how when he realized what had happened it had been like waking from a dream he didn’t know he was in.

“Well, whatever. It doesn’t matter now, cause either way we’re free!” Embry exclaimed, the couple across the aisle from them turn to look and he sheepishly sunk into his seat.

“Yeah, now I get to spend more time with Claire!” Quil said happily, his goofy smile returning. “I can help her out with her numbers and letters and –“

“Ooooor,” Embry interrupted him, “we can hang out on the beach like the old days!”

Jacob laughed, he hadn’t realized just how much he had missed his friends. He supposed his broken heart over Bella had eclipsed his longing for his pack member’s company. But after yesterday’s weird day and clearing his mind and visiting the Cullen house of all places, he felt somewhat better. Not completely, he knew if his mind lingered too much on the petite brunette he’d go back into the dark again, so he tried not to.

He noticed the older woman who had been waiting on them return, a worried look on her face. She spoke to them in the booth and the couple on the other side, they were the only patrons in the diner.

“I’m sorry, I have to leave real quick, my kid’s got a fever. But Cassandra, another waitress, will be right out when she finishes counting the register.” She hurried to the back, swung in the door that read “KITCHEN” and the wolves shrugged at each other.

Embry placed his fork on his plate, taking the others plates and stacking all them neatly at the end of the table, “Might as well help,” he said. The door to the kitchen swung again and out came a petite young woman with wild curly hair and dark glowing skin. The wolves all turned to see, but Embry stopped, Jacob’s fork falling from his hand and onto the table. “Oh…that’s _her._ ”

The young woman, Cassandra, oblivious to the stare went to the other table with the older couple to take their bill and money, “Oh, no change? Ok, thanks. I know Suzy will appreciate it.” Then she turned and saw the three friends. Jacob and Quil waited for Embry to say something, realizing their friend had just imprinted on the waitress.

“You ready for the check? Or you want anything else?” She looked up, and immediately blushed at Embry’s stare and a pretty red shade masking the apples of her cheek, but looked to the others. “Is he ok?” she asked, looking back at Embry, who was staring at her with a rather goofy smile on his face.

“He’s fine, yes we’d like the check please.” Jacob interjected, the young woman nodded and took the plates off the table, her blush subsiding and giving Embry a confused look before she walked away .

“Where’s she going? Did she notice me, do you think? Can I tell her already? Will it scare her? Oh no! What if she thinks I’m crazy? I’d have to prove it to her and then she might get scared for real! I don’t want that. Jacob you got to help! Quil, you too, bring Claire. Girls like babies right? How old is she? Could you tell? She seems about our age? I mean, she’s _beautiful._ What if she has a boyfriend –”

“Dude! Breathe!” Quil placed a hand on Embry, who had made a move to get up and follow her into the kitchen.

“Yeah c’mon lets go ASAP. We need help.” Jacob said, his leg starting to shake, the old couple had left, they were the only ones there now but he didn’t want to risk Embry either way.

Cassandra came back with a rather long white paper with their total on it. “Here ya go.” She placed it at the edge of the table, not looking at Embry at all. She turned back and went to the kitchen again.

“Gah –I scared her I think. I should follow her. Apologize y’know? I’ll be ba –”

“No. You will not stalk her. That’s weird dude!” Quil said, putting down his third of the bill and tugging at Embry’s shorts. “Dude, you gotta pay. Forty-two bucks.”

“That include tip? We should tip well. After all, she smiled so nicely at us. And she should get some too, split it with the other waitress, you know she’ll need it too, what with her kid and all –” Embry was interrupted again.

“Dude! Stop it already, yeah we’re leaving a good tip for you being so weird.” Jacob stood up. Tilting his head towards the door. “Let’s go.” The wolves followed him out.

~*~*~

“Didn’t you say Seth said Billy asked him to keep you out of the house? Something about dropping Sue off for a council meeting?” Quil asked looking confused at his own sentence. They all got out of the Rabbit and headed towards Jacob’s red house.

“Yeah well I’m sure they can add Embry’s imprinting to their meeting,” Jacob said as Embry walked quietly behind them, still looking solemn like when they first pulled away from the diner.

“Hey do you hear that? Sounds like Leah…” Quil said as they approached the door. Jacob unlocked it and pushed it open. They voice was louder now.

“This is embarrassing enough, stop playing at shrink Rachel!”

Leah Clearwater stood in the living room, yelling at a rather calm looking Rachel sitting in the armchair. Leah looked over at the three who had just entered, a blush forming on her face, she turned and sat next to Sue on the couch. Rachel turned to look at them too.

“Hey guys. Mind getting that pen for me Embry?” She walked to the other end of the room where she picked up a notebook that looked almost ripped in two. Embry picked up the pen near his feet, close to the door, handing it to Rachel. She sat back down on the armchair and began to write down something onto it. Leah scoffed.

“What the hell is going on?” Jacob asked. His eyes still on Leah, the shewolf trying to shrink into the couch, noticing the attention.

“We’ll let you know if we ever figure it out.” Old Quil said shaking his head, he was at the dining table next to Billy. The two had a dozen or so books laid out.

“I thought I told you to stay put?” Seth said he was standing in the kitchen entrance, leaning on the wall. Jacob could see Sam pacing behind him, shaking his head too, there was a lot of that going on.

“We ran into a bit of situation. We were at the diner and –”

“We met the most beautiful woman in the world! She’s so pretty. I don’t even know how to describe her. And her name! _Cassandra_. You hear that? It’s so sophisticated and sexy and amazing. And gosh she’s so nice, they called her in, she was actually covering for another waitress who had to go because her son was dying –”

“Had a fever,” Quil interjected.

“And she stepped out and _gosh_ _her hair is amazing_ –”

“So _that_ happened.” Jacob said walking to his father at the dining table. Billy continued to look at the book he was absorbed in. To Jacob, it looked like an old notebook, next to Billy was another book, one that looked like a textbook,. He turned to look back at Leah, something was off. He didn’t know why but he wanted to comfort her.

“You imprinted!” Sam said from the kitchen, Seth looking annoyed at stepping aside to let him out.

“Yeah!” Embry said excitedly. “How do I tell her? Can we go back now? How did you tell Emily?” He turned to Rachel, “Did Paul scare you at first? I think I frightened her. Maybe you could go with me to show her I’m not bad. Wait, no, bring Paul, I don’t want her to think you’re my girlfriend.” Rachel laughed at Embry’s enthusiasm. He sat on the floor staring into nothing, “I wanna go back already. I miss her, I hope she’s alright.”

“Great another one.” Old Quil muttered under his breath. He looked up, “This girl, Cassandra?” Embry nodded enthusiastically at the name. “Is she Quileute? Does she already know our stories?” Embry’s face fell.

“No, I don’t think so. She doesn’t live on the reservation. She must live in Forks. I know nothing about her.” He frowned, looking down onto his hands settled on his lap.

“We haven’t had that before, someone so unaware of our stories be an imprintee.” Old Quil pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Lots of first today Quil” Sue said bitterly. She got up off the couch, Leah quickly following behind her. Jacob straightened up, stopping himself from walking towards them, but still concerned for his pack members’ presence. _Didn’t Seth say Council meeting?_

“We should eat lunch. Rachel please join us for dinner tonight. Just you.” She walked out and Leah and Seth followed. Jacob hesitated, wanting to ask Leah what was wrong. Had Sam done something to have them all annoyed at him? He didn’t know why but he felt something stir in him, like wanting to attack Sam. He had to stop himself again, this time from growling at him.

“Sue! We’re not done discussing –” Sam started as he followed them out.

“Whatever you think you need to know, I assure you, you don’t. If we find out anything else tonight that the pack may need to know, we will tell them.” Sue didn’t bother to turn around as she said it, just continued to walk away from the stunned alpha.

Jacob turned to his father still engrossed in his book then to his sister, equally engrossed in her notes.

“Don’t you all rush to update us or anything. It’s not like what we witnessed wasn’t weird.”

“Ok,” Rachel said, her hand rapidly writing out whatever she was thinking.

He looked back at Sam, he was walking away in the direction of Emily’s house. He was obviously tense. _What the hell is up with today?_

Jacob scoffed about to say something but was interrupted by Embry, again.

“Maybe we should go back to Cassandra, maybe I can ask her out or something.”

“Oh! You know what? I wanna observe you two. It could help me with my notes. Jacob come with.” She ran to her old room, he could hear her rummage through boxes and bags full of clothes and books. She came back with a small backpack slung on one shoulder, and a smaller, non-damaged notebook. Jacob looked to Billy and Old Quil the two were still engrossed in the books.

Jacob was confused. He was starting to wonder if everyone around him had become insane. _Maybe they’re all pulling a prank on me?_

“Rachel c’mon!” He asked as he followed his older sister back outside.

“Shotgun!” Quil shouted as he followed behind him. Embry running back into the house, coming out with a Jacob’s old comb.

“You barely have any hair man!” Quil laughed at his antics from the front seat.

“Rachel c’mon at least give me something. Leah looked upset.” His sister, quickly whirled around, her hair flying everywhere and swinging with her.

“Huh? What did you notice? Leah the only one you saw?” She asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

“I – I mean… we heard her yelling when we went in and then Sue looked pissed too, I guess. And Seth.” He felt uncomfortable under his sister’s gaze. He was a whole foot taller than her, but she was still the sister who, with Rebecca’s help, pushed him into the pool at Kerry Mona’s pool party back in 6th grade before he could tell her he liked her.

“Yeah, ok. Well you heard Sue, if you need to know, you will. Now drive.” She turned to get into the back seat, making a very excited Embry slide to the other side. He was thankful she respected that the car belonged to him, though part of him suspected the fact that she couldn’t wrestle the keys from his hand as being the reason she didn’t bother driving.

They arrived at the diner quickly enough, Rachel turning to new page in her notebook. She had written at least two full pages in the car, Jacob had seen her through the review mirror. _What the hell is she writing?_

“Ok – Embry wait!” Embry was already opening the door, quickly jumping out and walking towards the diner. “Stay here. There’s no need to scare the girl anymore, you hear me yell help come in and drag Embry away.”

She followed Embry calmly into the diner, she took a seat on a one of the counter stools, putting her notebook and pen before her. Embry was looking around the diner, looking for his imprint. Cassandra came out of the kitchen with two plates, serving the two business men seated at the booth Embry and his friends had occupied earlier. They barely acknowledged their food, engrossed in the Blackberry in one of their hands.

She came back and spotted Rachel first. “Hey, my name’s Cassandra. What can I get you?” She placed a coaster next to Rachel and a glass and grabbed a pitcher full of water and ice and poured some for her. She pulled out a little flipbook and pen, smiling sweetly at Rachel.

“Cassandra, nice to meet you, I’m Rachel. Can I get a soda and one of your cheeseburgers with everything and fries please?” Rachel asked, Cassandra nodded and placed a couple napkins next to her customer.

“Of course!” She stopped when she noticed Embry a couple seats over, he had goofy smile and adoring stare. “…you’re back…”

Rachel was rapidly writing in her notebook, pretending it wasn’t notes on the interaction happening near her.

“Yeah…” Embry started, he straightened in his seat. Shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. “I um, well, see I –” he stopped, he was staring at Cassandra again, confusion written all over his face. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” He ran out of the diner. Through the windows, Rachel, Cassandra and the two businessmen saw Embry run passed the Rabbit, towards the trashcan, and proceed to throw up into it.

Rachel turned, and shook her head. The businessmen went back to their Blackberry, absently taking a few bites of their meal.

“Wow, wonder what that’s about.” Rachel said.

“I don’t know…” Cassandra smiled nervously and walked into the kitchen. “Julio! Cheeseburger with everything and fries!”

Rachel turned again to look at Embry. He was pacing, shaking his head, presumably talking to himself. She rolled her eyes, got up and quietly opened the door.

“Go! All of you! I’ll fix this!” Jacob glared at his sister, “I’ll get Paul to pick me up in an hour!” She turned around, not waiting for a response. Embry got in the car, head hung with a frown on his face, and Jacob pulled away. Starting to feel like his week was just getting weirder and weirder.

~*~*~

Rachel got back to the house two hours later. Paul walking in behind her. They headed towards the kitchen. Jacob had helped his dad make lasagna and some garlic bread with a fresh salad. When he had gotten back Billy had already started to prepare lunch, there was no sign of the meeting, anywhere.

Rachel sat down at the dining table. Still writing.

“Hey babe, want some soda?” Paul asked, already grabbing a plate and a glass for himself.

“I had some at the diner.”

“Diner? You met Embry’s imprint?” Billy wheeled himself next to his daughter, placing the textbook he had been reading earlier that day in front of her. _Did he hide it?_

Rachel looked at the words her father pointed out, “Yeah, nice girl. I’m going back tomorrow to see if I can convince her to come to the pow wow next Friday night? The one the school is throwing for Halloween? Hopefully I can mention Embry without her getting scared. I think I made friends with her well enough today.”

“She’s pretty. When you getting one Jacob? An imprint I mean,” Paul said as he sat down with his large helping of lasagna. Billy and Rachel’s head snapped to Jacob. It was quiet. Paul looked up at his girlfriend and her father. “Oh, sorry.” He said, actually stopping his eating and looking at Jacob.

“It’s fine.” Jacob said, turning to head to his room.

“Jake –” Rachel started.

“It’s nothing Rachel, today has just been weird. Maybe I jumped back in to it all too quickly. I’m just going to lie down for a bit.” He walked towards his room and let himself fall onto his bed. He did smile, however, when he heard Rachel smack Paul in the back of the head. She couldn’t actually hurt him, but it’s the thought that counts.


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack. Hehe, sorry and also I hope this shit makes sense.
> 
> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters

Leah laid in bed. She was tired, it felt like that morning’s discussion had lasted four days instead of four hours. She didn’t want to think about how she attacked Sam, and didn’t remember a thing. Her mind wanted to be as far away as possible from the memory of Rachel trying to use some weird questions on her to reveal some inner wolf demon. And of course, she didn’t want to think about how many people had been in that room to hear Sam say that maybe she was affected by her crush on Jacob.

  
_A crush that is not real._ She had spoken to him a total of ten sentences, tops, in the past four months. And before that, she had been as antagonistic to him as she’d been to the other pack members. She did not have a crush on him.

  
But the elders, Sam, and Rachel all latched onto that bit of news like it would suddenly make Leah remember her intentions during the attack and then solve itself neatly. It didn’t. Leah sighed, and turn onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. She was so tired. She didn’t want to admit that it was attacking her alpha that caused her fatigue. She was sure it was something else. _Getting laid could help_. Leah snorted, the idea didn’t sound too bad. Sam had been the only man she had ever had sex with, and the thought of that made her sad. It had been two years since Sam had dumped her, meaning no sex since then. Almost pleasuring herself in the shower the day before had left her agitated. Maybe getting herself off wasn’t such a bad idea. _Maybe that’s why I noticed Jacob so much, probably the only pack member I’d sleep with should I ever have to._ The situation would never occur, but she still had that thought out. She sighed, got up and locked her bedroom door, hoping that Seth was too engrossed in his own afternoon nap to hear or sense anything.

  
She walked to her bed and took off her shorts, and decided to leave her underwear on. She settled into bed, closing her eyes, not moving too much but trying to conjure an image that wasn’t Sam. She didn’t want to open that can of worms again. Instead her mind drifted to the heat of Jacob’s skin the night before. All of the pack had elevated temperatures, all of their skins were warm. Last night, Jacobs’s bare arm on hers had felt different however, inviting. She remembered his back to her at the Cullen house, the smooth russet skin of him, the muscles moving slightly beneath it as he spoke. She reached her hand below her underwear, past the coarse hair she no longer bothered to groom, slightly brushing her fingers against her entrance. She felt a slight bit of slickness as she traced her nether lips. She inserted her index finger, biting her lip as she imagined Jacob turning around the day before, looking at her with those brown eyes she had seen a million times but had not never gazed heatedly before. She imagined his hands on her hips, pulling her to him. She inserted another finger, slowly starting to pump them as her thumb rubbed at her clit.

_Jacob_

  
Leah thought of him kissing her, passionately, roughly, one hand pressing her against him, the other sliding up her sides to cup her breast.  
Her own hand travelled beneath her top and bra to trace her pebbled nipple.

  
In her mind’s eye she saw Jacob stop the kisses on her mouth, to kiss her the column of her neck, her back hitting the counter as he pushed her against it. She’d have one of her own hands lost in his hair, the other one tracing every line and curve of his muscular back.

  
She was pumping her fingers faster now, biting her lip to not make a noise, she added another finger.

  
Jacob and Leah would rid themselves of clothing, the sight of him naked making her more wet. His cock hard against her thigh. And then his hands would grip her hips, quickly turning her around, a hand on her back softly bending her over the counter. She could almost feel the contrast of their heated skin and the cool counter. She imagined his hands on her hips, lips on her skin, a bite at her shoulder followed by a tender kiss, she moaned.

  
_Fuck_

  
She felt herself kick at the cover she had left on the bed, bring her hand from her breast to her lips, biting down on her fist to keep her noises at bay.  
Jacob’s finger would swipe at her slick, warm cunt, then over her ass to her hips, pulling at her body to align her entrance with his erection.

  
She bucked her hips at the thought. She could see it all, with her eyes closed and her hand between her thighs.

  
Jacob would slide in gently at first, but his hands gripping her hips tighter. He’d start slow. She knew she would have to wiggle herself against him, stand on her tip toes to give him more access, let him know she was ready for him. And he’d thrust, slowly still, but building momentum. Then faster, and harder and rougher.

  
Leah bucked her hips against her hand again. Feeling the pressure building within her, she missed this. The act itself, the euphoria of an orgasm. Her hand worked to bring her to a climax, her other hand muffling a moan as she came. Her underwear was soaked with her arousal, her fingers covered too.

  
She turned her head, ready to sleep more than anything, her labored breathing the only sound she heard besides rushing of blood pumping through her ears.

  
After a couple minutes she came off her high, got up and grabbed a change of underwear. She quickly went to the bathroom to wipe herself clean, and wash her hands before putting on her underwear and shorts again.

  
She splashed some cold water on her face, feeling the heat on her cheeks cool down. She looked into the mirror and blinked, for a moment her brown eyes had looked to have shone gold instead. She shook her head. _It’s been so long I’ve been fucked properly._

  
She heard a knock on the door downstairs. Rachel had arrived. She sighed and got out of the bathroom.

  
“Leah! Could you wake Seth?! Rachel’s here!” Leah walked to her brother’s room, banged on the door and yelled at him to wake up and eat.

  
Leah walked down the stairs, looking at Rachel and her mom exchange pleasantries and set some plates on the table. She sighed, _let’s get this over with_. She passed the couch and saw that Rachel had brought a newer, smaller notebook along with a small backpack. She frowned, she had thrown the previous notebook so hard it had torn itself in two.  
They all sat down, their mom had made enough chicken parmesan to feed twenty people, certainly enough for two werewolves and two regular adults. Sue had even made some rice and mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli and green beans. There was only the sound of food being served and the clanking of forks and glasses as Sue poured herself, Rachel and Leah a glass of white wine. Seth drank orange juice.

  
“This smells amazing Sue,” Rachel said as she grabbed the glass of wine to place near her and took the plate of green beans from Seth.

  
“Thank you,” Sue replied, she too was setting her food onto her plate. Leah ate mostly in silence. Seth, Sue and Rachel keeping a light and boring conversation going. Leah and Seth went through three helpings of food by the time Rachel and Sue finished. Leah tapped her foot as Rachel finished her food.

  
“So what’s the deal Rachel?” Leah cut in, “What the hell is happening to me?”

  
Rachel looked across the table to her. Sue and Seth sat at the opposite heads, Seth had recently taking to sit where their father had once sat. Sue almost cried the first time he did it.

  
“Ok, so let’s go over what we all learned this morning.” Rachel took the small bite of her food that was left, and then washed it down with a rather large gulp of wine. She cleared her throat. “So you’ve had two nights of sleep, or so you thought, but on both occasions you woke the next day with sore muscles similar to when you patrol. On the second morning, you even had evidence that you had been out because you had dried mud on yourself. With that information, and the knowledge that you two revealed that Quil and Brady felt a wolf phase in but couldn’t hear its thoughts two nights ago, I would conclude that you do have some signs of sleepwalking, possibly sleep-phasing. We don’t know how long you were in human form or if it was only your body controlling that side of itself to get you in and out of your house.”

  
Leah waited, Rachel put a finger up to signify that she needed the moment. She went to the couch and brought back her notebook and her bag.

“Here’s the thing, Dad and I couldn’t figure out why Quil and Brady couldn’t hear your thoughts. In fact, it would have been a rather fascinating experience to see what you dreamt and how the mind works while someone sleeps.” Rachel frowned and Leah wondered if as a psychology major she envied the werewolves ability to share their minds with one another.

  
“So that part is still sort of unsolved. But, when Sam mentioned Jacob having been at the Cullen house, where he found you the next night that’s why I asked you if you were in anyway closer to Jacob than the other pack members.”

  
“And that’s when Leah told you she wasn’t,” Seth said. Leah shot him a thankful look, for his defense of her and for also not mentioning that she had thrown Rachel’s notebook across the room and yelled at her for the question. Right before Jacob, Quil and Embry walked in and interrupted them she had been ready to fight. She wondered what they could possibly be thinking is going on with her at the moment at seeing her like that.

  
“Yeah well I think she’s lying.” Everyone’s head snapped to Rachel. “Before you start to deny it and tell me I’m crazy!!” Rachel started putting her hands up to stop all of them. “I think Leah doesn’t have control over a possible…attraction to Jacob.”

  
Silence filled the room, everyone staring at the girl with a notebook and pen in hand. Rachel took a deep breath. “Correct me if I’m wrong, and I mean actually wrong and not just you want me to be wrong, but you’ve been more…attuned to Jacob’s presence lately, right?” Rachel asked, jotting something down in the book.

  
“Considering he’s not the zombie he’s been in the past four months? Yeah, I guess I’ve spoken to him more.” Leah replied. _You’re batshit crazy if think this will work Rachel._  
Rachel frowned.

“Ok let me try another way. Dad and I reviewed the notebook written by Ephriam. Obviously, there nothing about female wolves.” _Obviously, I’m the first you idiot!_ “It does however mention imprinting –“

  
Leah got up so quickly her chair fell back, “No! I did not imprint on Jacob!” she yelled.

  
“Leah please, I’m on your side, if my theories are true you’ve been given the short end of the stick. Again. It’s not imprinting, but it does have to do with it. A little bit, anyway,” Rachel said.

  
“Leah, listen to her, I think I know where this is going.” Sue said, she stood and placed the chair back correctly. Leah sat down, breathing in deeply and letting it out slowly, looking to her mother before she turned her attention to Rachel.

  
“Ok, fine. Go on.” Leah sighed again.

  
“Thank you. Now, none of the wolves from that pack imprinted but Ephriam wrote down the mythology,” Rachel paused, “well not the right word but anyway, he wrote it down because he theorized that real wolves don’t need imprinting. They choose a mate based on the characteristics that they want to pass on to their offspring. Ephriam then posed the theory that he and his pack members didn’t need to imprint to ensure they have better offspring. They chose women in their tribe that held a rather high social standing within the reservation, were physically beautiful and were women with domestic skills. Not only that, but they also stood by the three men when they found out the whole ‘turns-to-wolf’ thing. They didn’t need to imprint because they already knew what to look for and then found it in these women.”

  
“But Sam’s theory is that it is intended to ensure better offspring.” Seth said. “You’re saying he’s wrong?”

  
“I’m saying he’s not completely right.” Rachel shifted in her seat, “And that he isn’t the true alpha and basically doesn’t deserve to be alpha.”

  
The Clearwaters all stared at Rachel. _Did she really just say that?_

  
“Look, don’t get me wrong. The way Paul tells it, Sam’s a pretty great leader. But if I’ve been informed correctly, he felt a strong enough rank-authority coming from Jacob when he first phased that Sam offered him the position right?”

  
Leah shook her head, Jacob’s name bring her back to what mattered. “What does that have to do with _me_?”

  
“I’m getting there. So we have four, now five with Embry, out of ten pack members to imprint. And from what I know, only Kim had an easy time accepting the whole ‘perspective boyfriend turns into a wolf thing’, and even then she was mostly just already in love with Jared that she tried to look past it. Emily had trouble with Sam being Leah’s ex. Claire doesn’t know what’s going on, but Emma sure as hell didn’t like that Quil imprinted on her daughter. And while I was flattered by the attention, I didn’t much care for Paul declaring undying love for me after not seeing me for four years. Imprinting is complicated, even when it’s supposed to make everything easier.” Rachel paused and Leah suddenly wondered if the couples in the pack were really the embodiment of “true love”.

  
“One of those imprints is the current Alpha. If Ephriam’s theory is correct, why would an alpha need to imprint?” Rachel posed the question, again writing something quickly into her notebook. “Because he’s not the true alpha and _needs_ the help to find a mate. That’s where imprinting comes in, and our ancestors butting in to help them.”

  
“But,” Seth started, he shot a look towards Leah, “if that’s true why did he imprint on Emily if he was already with Leah?”

  
Leah didn’t look up, looking at her plate that had crumbs and traces of mashed potatoes and parmesan cheese. She was getting a headache.

  
“That’s were a little of bit of ‘wolf-magic-mumbo-jumbo’ comes into play. She wasn’t a werewolf at the time is a part of it, but neither was Emily.” She crossed something out in her notes. “My best bet is that despite Jacob not being a werewolf yet either, he was ‘destined’ of sorts to be alpha.” Rachel looked at Leah, “And because of that he should have the strongest, the only, female of the pack be his alpha mate.”

  
Leah stared at Rachel, and she snorted and laughed. “That’s without a doubt the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life! And I had the misfortune of speaking to Bella fucking Swan on multiple occasions!” She continued to laugh, hold her stomach a bit because she really had no other reaction to the bullshit Rachel was spewing.

  
Sue shook her head, “Leah really? This is serious!”

  
“No it isn’t mom! She thinks Jake and I are destined to be alpha mates! Do you realize how fucked up that is!”

  
“Technically I’d say you two have the choice to become mates and subsequently usurp slash take your rightful place as alpha pair above Sam.” Rachel said, a serious face marring her pretty features, arms crossed as she looked at Leah.

  
“What?” Leah stared at her.

  
“Can I finish? Are you done laughing?” Rachel raised an eyebrow at her. Leah straightened up. “I think you’re going through heat.”

  
“ _What_?!” Rachel glared, Leah shut her mouth, raised her arms to her face and then leaned back in her chair, inhaling deeply once more.

  
“Female wolves in the wild normally don’t go into heat until about a year or two of age, ones in captivity have been recorded to start as early as eight months. You phased about seven months ago but I think since your body is also a human female half the time, your wolf biology is compromising for gestation period in humans.”

“Rachel I stopped getting my period when I started to phase.” It was Leah’s turn to glare.

  
“You also turn into a wolf for no other reason than you being related to man that 60 years ago turned into wolf, I don’t think this is an exact science Leah. I’m doing my best to make sense with what little information I have. Now stop interrupting.” Rachel took out another book from her bag, the textbook. “Now since human gestation takes around nine months, I think my theory is rather solid, you’re in heat now, which means you would be able to birth potential offspring in the late spring early summer, like a wolf would.”

  
Leah closed her eyes, inhaled deeply again. She opened her eyes, Rachel looked at her to continue, and she nodded slowly.

  
“Now, back to the imprinting and Jacob. You didn’t imprint on Jacob, at least that’s what I think. But, since three of the pack members are presumably engaging in sex with their mate,” Rachel blushed slightly at the implications, outing her own sex life to the Clearwaters, “your body knows they’re already taken, not reacting to them. I’m not sure if how it works for Quil since he imprinted on a child. Embry just imprinted, but I’m going with Jacob was the first wolf, without an imprint, that you interacted with after you started your heat cycle. Seth is your brother, and while biologically Colin and Brady are old enough to mate, I think your human side provides the taboo of underage sex to your wolf side.”

  
Rachel took a couple of notes, unaware of the family of three becoming increasingly uncomfortable at the subject.

  
“Or, we could just base it back to my theory that since Jacob is meant to have higher rank than he does now, your wolf reacts to that instead of any other pack member. He’s the strongest, fastest and meant to be the leader.”

  
Sue sighed. “So to be clear: Leah is in heat and her… inner wolf has chosen as Jacob as the mate to pursue. Because bottom line is that Jacob is meant to be alpha and he in turn would choose Leah to be his alpha female. Right?” She didn’t give Rachel time to answer, “Now here are my questions. How long will she be going through this? Does she have to choose Jacob or can she theoretically go off and find a mate on her own? A non-werewolf I mean?”

“What? Mom!” Seth looked across at his mom. Sue held up a hand to stop him from going any further. Leah could only stare at her mother. Rachel nodded to her mother, writing down more.

  
“I’ve found the range of five to twenty one days to be given for wild wolves, hopefully Leah’s fast healing and metabolism also means a faster heat cycle. The median is 13 days and since the werewolves exhibit healing at a rate of about 10 times as fast, instead of twice as fast, I’m hoping less than that. As to mating with a ‘plain human’ so to speak,” Rachel used air quotes, “I don’t even have anything to base a theory on.”

  
Rachel turned to Leah, “You’re more than welcome to try.”

  
Leah turned to her mother, who was clearly lost in thought. She then looked to Seth, who looked both uncomfortable and angry at Rachel’s words. Finally, she stared at the woman across from her who had just told her she was acting like a literal bitch. She stood up.

  
“I think I’m going to bed.” She picked up her plate and wine glass, placed them in the sink and headed up the stairs.

  
“You can’t go to sleep! That’s when it all starts remember!” Rachel’s voice rang through the house.

  
_BAM!_

  
Leah slammed her door closed and buried herself under her covers. _This is bullshit! I hate everyone of you fuckers watching over me and laughing. Fuck this._  
There was a knock at her door.

  
“Leah?” Rachel opened the door, uninvited. “Leah it’s only 8:20, you can’t go to sleep now. Look I know this is awful, but please believe me when I say: I want to help. I want this to be as painless as possible for you.”

  
Leah waited a bit, Rachel didn’t leave. She took her covers off, and turned to the girl in the doorway.

  
“Ok, so how do I survive the remaining twelve to nineteen days?”


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *nonchalantly posts a chapter after being gone for almost a year*

Rachel walked towards Leah’s bed. Sat at next to her feet, and turned to her.

“Don’t hate me or kill me for it, but, maybe you’re mom’s idea isn’t so off. Maybe sleeping with some random non wolf will get you ‘mated’,” she used air quotes, “and get rid of the heat. Or if you sleep with Jacob, or another wolf if you’d like to try, it could like...heal you?”

Leah didn’t say anything. She just took three deep breaths, not wanting to kill Rachel.

“Rachel, how bout a different suggestion?”

Rachel sighed, then smiled, “want to go out for a drink?”

Leah glared for a moment. Rachel stood up and walked to the door, hand on the knob ready to pull it closed and leave. “Leah…I know you think the ancestors have royally fucked you over. Multiple times. But, I am _truly_ trying to help. Just let me. Please?”

There was silence. 

Did Rachel not get that this was not only humiliating but utterly terrifying?  _She does that's why she wants to help._

Rachel looked hurt at her lack of response. She turned to leave.

“Wait!” Leah got up, in time to stop the door from closing. Rachel and Rebecca were two years older than her. Around Sam’s age but not really close to him, so not really close to Leah. Leah’s only and closest female friend had been Emily. And if it counted, her mom was a close second. She didn’t have anyone else. She sighed. “Let me get some nicer clothes on, give me ten minutes?”

Rachel smiled brightly, “I’ll wait downstairs.”

~*~*~

Leah had never been to a bar. She turned twenty-one in the middle of everything. She wasn’t studying at college away from her family for her to go out drinking with friends or classmates. She had drinks at the pow wows but they were beers. Besides, she was a werewolf. She couldn't get drunk. Why bother?

She and Rachel sat on stools. The bar was called "The Bar" and was both nice and posh looking with a bit of the darkness that seemed to envelop anything in Forks.

“What do you like to drink?” Rachel sat down and pulled out her notebook and pen.

“Beer?” It came out as a question, “Does that really have to do with my little problem?” Leah pointed to the notebook. Rachel laughed.

“No, but this will be a follow up of sorts.” Rachel looked up at the bartender who came with little coasters, “A rum and coke for me please and your best beer for my friend.” He nodded and went back to the middle of the bar, tending to other customers while he made Rachel’s drink. Leah sighed and got ready for what she was sure would be brutal questions about her sex life, or lack thereof.

“Ok, so, heat. You’ve got about nineteen days left, tops. Hopefully no more than three. What do _you_ want to do about it?” Rachel looked at her, kindness in her face. Maybe she did just want to help.

“I…I just want this over with.” Leah took the beer the bartender placed in front of her and gulped down half of it in one go. Rachel made a note.

“Ok. Leah, I understand. But, worst case scenario you can’t just get over it. Certainly not if this will last more than two weeks.”

“Masturbation?” she gulped the other half. Motioned for another one from the bartender who smiled at her. He had dimples.

“You sure beer’s you’re drink? Mustn’t be very good if you get rid of it so quick.” He smiled as he replaced her empty glass with a full one. He winked and walked back to his place. Rachel made another note.

“Hey, don’t make a scene but, have you dated anyone? Since Sam, I mean?” Rachel looked cautious, ready for Leah to break her glass, possibly over her face.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I was too heartbroken.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I could ever go through that without…Well, without running away from it or something.”

Leah sighed. “I wanted to. But…I also thought, somewhere in the back of my mind, that we could get back together. That it was all some weird dream or weird moment in our lives that would just be in the past as soon as it was done.” She sipped this time. “I thought that maybe, I dunno. Maybe they weren’t really Sam and Emily, _my_ Sam and Emily. But, that they were some weird clones or doubles messing with me. That my best friend and cousin didn’t betray me. And that Sam…that Sam would come back to me.”

She quietly played with the condensation on her glass. Rachel just looked at her.

“I know it may seem cliché and maybe means nothing to you. But, time really does heal all wounds. I…Heartbreak is the worst. Especially your first love. But, you can and you will find love again Leah. I believe it.”

Leah nodded, smiled at Rachel. She felt a pang in her chest that then went away. She took a deep breath. Maybe talking to someone who wasn’t all involved in the werewolf thing, not all the way anyway, helped. Rachel could be a good friend.

“Thanks. Any other questions?” She took another sip of her beer.

Rachel smiled, “Lots of em.”

 


	9. Chapter Eight

Jacob sighed. His nap had lasted too long to really call it a nap and it was late now. He looked at the clock.

**1:23 AM**

He sighed again. He looked to his other night stand, his phone had buzzed a lot, woken him up from his slumber earlier. Embry and Quil were in a group thread. Messaging back and forth, asking for his opinion than ignoring their questions for new ones. Embry wanted to go to the diner, again, despite Rachel’s orders.

He sighed, and got up. He slept in only boxers and didn’t bother to change, he was going to run in wolf form anyway. _Could’ve walked out naked really, no one would see._

He ended up discarding his boxers by his house and quickly jumping, then phasing into a run. He ran and ran and ran. He numbly felt Jared on patrol, thinking only about Kim and their relations.

**_Gross._ **

He expected a retort, but Jared just continued to think of the way Kim moaned his name. Jacob mentally shook his head and let Jared out of his mind completely, ignoring the other boy’s mind.

He caught a sent, something he liked. **_What is that?_**

He followed it, it smelled familiar. His mind was quieting now, more and more. He could only think of one thing. **_Track._**

The russet wolf followed the sent. He came across and slightly empty, open field. It had but one structure in the middle, an abandoned modern mansion.

The wolf’s ears pricked up at a sound. Laughter.

The russet wolf crept along the edge of the house, towards a back deck. He bared his teeth. The scent he had followed had been of two familiar women, and two unknown men.

**_Family. Mate. Inferiors._ **

The wolf watched, planting himself near the group without exposing himself.

**_Protect._ **

“I swear! The woman kept complaining that the drink was not strong enough to cost twelve dollars! Haha! After that I sent out a drink with moonshine and the vodka mixed in! _That_ she was okay with. Idiot! I’m telling you.”

The women laughed, he smelled alcohol on one’s breath. The other had a heady scent of a wolf in heat mixed with lavender.

His family stood up, and laughed. “As fun as this has been, I have to go now.”

The smaller, blond man nodded, “I should too, meeting tomorrow. But, ladies please let us know when we can do this again.”

“Ha, well I have a boyfriend, as I mentioned already.” His family got her bag, and was distancing herself more and more from the blond. He bared his teeth again, growling low. His mate’s head snapped up.

“Uhh, what was that?” The dark curly haired one asked, his face no longer showing dimples.

“Nothing.” Both women retorted. His mate got up again, putting down a bottle next to several of the already empty ones on the ground. “We have to go guys, thanks for the free beer.” His family grabbed his mate’s hand and the two rushed towards him.

“Wait! Let me drive you back to your car! The night is dark! You could-”

He jumped out of the woods, over the women’s’ heads and right in front of the men. He didn’t need to growl again. They screamed, tripping over each other, breaking the empty bottles as they ran towards the small car in the front.

“Jacob!” He turned back and growled at his family. She was in his way. His mate pushed her behind her. **_Protect._**

“Jacob! What the hell is wrong with you?!” He growled again, creeping closer to both women.

“Jacob!” He stopped, smelled their scents. One familiar and calming, the other strong and intoxicating. But, there was something underneath both, fear.

Involuntarily, the wolf drew back, fighting internally with another instinct.

Jacob blinked his wolf eyes. In front of him were his sister and Leah. One fearfully looking at him, the other defiantly in front of her. He blinked again, _What’s going on?_

_Jacob?_

Jared’s voice rang in his mind.

_Dude! When did you even phase? What’s going on? Is that Leah and your sister? What the hell man?_

He bolted. Ran in the opposite direction of his sister and Leah.

Leah. Why did she look so angry? Did he attack them? No. It can’t be. He doesn’t remember that. He quieted Jared’s questions as he kept running.

He arrived home quickly enough. Instinctively grabbing his boxers as he walked naked into his house. It was a lot darker now. He quietly walked into his bedroom.

**3:56 AM**

Jacob sighed and dragged his feet towards his bed. He was tired, confused, sore, and, fearful. He had gone dark before while in wolf. But, there had always been a prick in the back of his mind. Some sort of anchor to the other wolves and world outside of his wolf form.

He felt his heartbeat speed up at the thought of not knowing what he had been doing. _Especially if I hurt Leah. And Rachel too._

He furrowed his brows. Leah had looked so angry at the sight of him. He felt wounded, rejected. _What the hell is going on with me?_


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters.

Leah and Rachel ran to Rachel’s car. Rachel quickly started the car and proceeded to reverse it to go.

“What the hell was that about?” Leah asked. She was breathing heavily. Seeing Jacob growling at them had ignited something in her. She looked over at Rachel, her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and her knuckles were white. She looked at Rachel’s face, she was paler than usual and there were tears brimming in her eyes.

“It’s like…he didn’t know me.” She sniffed, blinking hard, managing to not let her tears out. “I’ve seen both Jacob and Paul in wolf, I can tell they know me. This was different.” Her voice broke again, and Leah didn’t know what to say. The car ride was quiet for moment.

Leah started to speak, “What if…what if, I mean I don’t know how it all works. But could…could Jacob be in heat? It’s not just females who go through it right?”

Rachel kept her eyes on the road, but Leah could see her bit her lip, clearly thinking of what was just said. Rachel sighed.

“I don’t know. I mean theoretically…ugh, if your body is reacting to Jacob because of his rightful status as alpha, your heat could trigger his…I guess?” Rachel scoffed. “I’m sorry Leah, I honestly don’t know. I was basing my theories only on your body and reactions to Jacob, not the other way around. I mean, I knew he had a part in your heat, but I didn’t.” She stopped. She groaned, “Ugh!!” slamming her hand on the wheel. “How did I NOT PREDICT THIS?”

“Rachel!” Leah yelled, not sure what to make of the other girl rambling. Rachel sniffed again, “I’m sorry Leah, I just. I just don’t want to be wrong about this and mess up your life more than this werewolf shit already has.” Tears were flowing now.

They rode in silence once more. Rachel slowed to a stop in front of Leah’s house. “I’m sorry.” Rachel repeated.

Leah sighed, “Rachel, none of this is your fault.” They looked at each other. Leah smiled at her, “it’s new to everyone.” Rachel shook her head.

“I don’t know how you do it. If I was you I’d-” she blew air out looked up shaking her head again, “I’d have run away by now.” Leah looked at her.

“Do you…well I mean…how are you and Paul?” she felt herself blush. She wasn’t sure she had the right to ask. But she also felt that if Rachel could talk to her about heat and sex, she could ask a simple question.

Rachel smiled, “he’s…different.” Her eyes widened, “don’t think wrong of it. I just-I didn’t expect to get a boyfriend and a werewolf in one. And then find out my brother and the majority of boys he grew up with all be werewolves. And that there was an ongoing war with vampires, literal vampires, in little old Forks.” She smiled, “you know, being with Paul helped in that aspect. Back when he followed me like a hurt puppy cause I had rejected him after he rather publicly declared himself, y’know?” Leah nodded. “Well he kept following, and one day I was like ‘okay show me’. And he was adamant he shouldn’t and that I could get hurt. And I told him if he didn’t he could forget ever even talking to me again. So he did, and I don’t know seeing _that?_ I don’t know, it-”

She sighed, looked up as if the word would hang from the roof of the car. “It solidified all those stories mama told me.” She began to tear up again, “And it sorta just made me…connect. Not just with the stories but with Paul. And he walked up to me, still a wolf and he leaned forward. I could feel his fur on my face, but his eyes, looking at them. I…I had been back for three days by then, had seen dad and Jacob and the house and been back to a bunch of old spots. But, in that moment with Paul, I felt like I was _home.”_  She looked at Leah, “Before all that, I thought imprinting sounded like a Disney fairytale, but I felt him then, his love. In that moment, I felt like he could fix everything and anything if I only just asked.” She shook her head, “what I’m trying to say is that you deserve that Leah, you do. Not imprinting that magically connects you with someone but love. Love that is so all-consuming that you’re willing to do something as crazy as hug a wolf the size of a stallion.” She laughed, and sighed looking at her.

Leah nodded, thinking back to her time with Sam. No pang in her heart for the man but for the feeling. The feel of someone’s arms around her, kisses on her neck, laughter in the rain, warm hand clinging to her.

Rachel sighed, “Sorry if that didn’t make any sense. My point is that hopefully by the end of all this mess you can find someone who loves you and you love them, no magic needed.” She smiled.

Leah nodded, “I get it.” She smiled teasingly, “So you’re saying your brother and I can’t love each other a little?” She winked at Rachel who burst out laughing.

“Ha! Please you hate the idea of the two of you together.”

“I mean…if I _had to choose_.”

Rachel’s smiled and shook her head, “So you are crushing on my baby brother?”

Leah snorted, “Please, Seth is a baby. Colin and Brady are babies. Jacob turns 19 in less than a month and he certainly does not look like any baby I know.”

“Ewwww! Stop!” Rachel covered her eyes.

Leah laughed loudly, “You were literally telling me to hook up with him to rid myself of this heat!”

“It’s a theory!” she kept shaking her head, “And both myself and your mother suggested hooking up with a rando to get rid of the heat too!” Leah blushed.

“Please that bartender and his friend were into you, not me.”

Rachel snorted “They were both into both of us. I’m just more approachable.” She held her head high and laughed. Leah laughed with her. She missed this, boy talk, laughing over silly things, a girl friend to talk with.

“So what do we do about tonight?” Leah asked.

Rachel sighed, pursed her lips. “Tell you what. Come over with Seth and your mom tomorrow, lunchtime. I think Jacob should know.”

Leah’s eyes widened, “What! No!” She was ready to jump out the window and run away forever in order to never have to talk about _that_ with anyone.

“Leah! Listen!” Rachel grabbed her hand, squeezing it. “He is clearly reacting to this. He has a right to know if something is messing with him too.” Leah sighed, squeezed Rachel’s hand back.

Leah’s heart beat fast. She couldn’t believe this. “Ok.”


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Twilight Series belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just playing with some of her characters.

_Friday October 21 st, 2011, 06:30am_

_Day Three of ? of Heat Cycle: LC_

_Symptoms: Sleepwalking, Sleep-phasing, loss of memory, soreness (possibly due to running in w. form.), aggressiveness, seemingly a resilience to Alpha Orders._

_LC is expected to have heat for up to 21 days based on wild wolves. LC has only reacted to “true” alpha’s presence. “True” alpha may also be reacting to female in heat._

Rachel tapped her pen on the notebook. She had an entire notebook full of notes for her theories. She had started another two this morning to clarify what she actually knew and what she needed to find out later today. One book was for Embry and imprints in general and the other was for Leah and possibly her brother.

“Morning, what can I get ya?” Cassandra came up to her again, same routine of coaster and getting her an iced water. She smiled at Rachel, who smiled back.

“Good morning, Cassandra, right?” Rachel felt a little bad, she knew she had to lie to this girl to try to get her to the pow wow.

Cassandra nodded, “Yeah, how’s it going, you want some coffee?” She had her little notebook out.

Rachel nodded, “Yes please, two of them. My boyfriend’s coming.”

Cassandra smiled and nodded, “Okay, I’ll get him a menu too.” She walked away as Rachel pulled the other small notebook out.

_Friday October 21 st, 2011, 06:30am_

_Day Two of Imprint: E & C_

_Imprintee status: unknown, unaware, non-Quileute_

_Imprintee is still unaware of status, not much is known other than food service job where subject imprinted initially 10/20/11 about 2pm._

_Age is estimated to be 17-21 years._

The bell rang as someone opened the door, Rachel felt that pull she always felt when Paul walked into the room. He made his way quickly to the counter she was seated at.

“Hey babe,” he had a look over his face, “did something happen? Last night, with Jacob? Jared texted, he felt your brother phase and that you and Leah were there.”

She nodded, opened her mouth.

“Here ya go, one for you and,” she placed a steaming mug in front of Rachel, then another closer to Paul, “one for you. Here’s some creamers and sugar, plus, another menu. I’ll be back in a few for your orders.” Cassandra neatly placed everything before them, smiling as she went to greet the next customer. Rachel, Paul and the family of three were the only patrons.

Paul had a worried look over his face, “Babe, you okay?”

Rachel smiled, and leaned up to kiss him. “I’m fine,” they kept their foreheads together, she could see tiny flecks of hazel in his dark brown eyes. He put his warm hands on her arms, she felt his entire loving presence hugging her. “I think Jacob is going through something, so is Leah. But we’re all ok and safe. Okay?” He kissed her and they stayed like that for a moment. He nodded.

Paul sat down, keeping her hand in his, “Rach, I know you said it’s between Leah and the elders, but don’t you think Sam should know? And the rest of us?” He pulled her mug to him first, two creams, four sugars. She smiled, he knew her coffee by now.

“Paul, trust me. Please?” They looked at each other, she smiled a bit. She knew asking him to be loyal to her instead of Sam was big deal.

“Only cause you’re so cute,” he laughed and leaned for another kiss. Rachel laughed and kissed him back. She whispered to him “let’s try to converse with her to get some info, okay? And we’ll try to casually mention the Halloween pow wow for the rez school.” Paul nodded.

~*~*~

_Friday October 21 st, 2011, 08:45am_

_Day Two of Imprint: E & C_

_Imprintee status: 17 year old female (DOB 05/?/1994), African-American, non-Quileute._

_Imprintee is still unaware of status. She is a senior student at Forks High School. Holds a food service job at Julio’s Diner, where subject imprinted initially 10/20/11 about 2pm. Her father is a teacher at Forks High School, Biology. Mother works at Forks Hospital as a surgeon. Parents “were in their 20s” at the time of imprintee’s birth. Moved from Ohio to Washington shortly after the imprintee’s birth. Imprintee has no siblings._

Rachel nodded, proud of her work. Cassandra was really nice, and the two had warmed up to each other. Rachel had mentioned going back with the excuse that she loved the coffee, breakfast, and lunch she had at the diner. While the statement was true, she actually wasn’t one to frequent the same restaurant in a week. She adjusted herself at the table, grabbed the notebook meant for Jacob and Leah’s situation. She heard the shower shut off, her dad had woken Jacob up. They wanted to talk to him along with the Clearwaters. To prepare them a little for the big reveal to the pack.

After Paul’s worry she thought she had it handled. But Jared had told Sam who had showed up at the diner. She was able to convince him not to confront either werewolf, but, had agreed to a lunch Emily’s house for the whole pack. She looked at the clock in the dining room, 8:52. The Clearwaters’ had been told that due to a change of plans, they were to be here at 9am. Rachel sighed, worried a little over the upcoming meal. She then laughed, the past three days had been all focused on meals and eating, she should go to the gym.

_Knock Knock_

She sighed. _Okay, I can do this. I just have to tell my baby brother and friend they are maybe, sorta supposed to have sex…nothing weird about that._

~*~*~

Jacob finished changing, he went to his dresser and grabbed his deodorant, put some on and then contemplated putting on his cologne. He stopped. _What? No, that’s dumb._ He shook his head, just because his dad told him that Rachel had invited the Clearwaters over, that didn’t mean he needed cologne. _I haven’t worn cologne since before being a wolf._ It was bothersome to the other wolves, their sense of smell being so strong. He shook his head. Rachel and his dad had only told him that they were to have a meeting of sorts with the Clearwaters before going to a big Pack Lunch at Emily and Sam’s.

He had tried to talk to Rachel about the night before, she had just smiled at him. “Jacob, don’t worry. I think today will clear things up, okay?”

He wasn’t sure, but he knew he trusted his sister and dad. He knew they had his back.

He heard a knock at the door, his heart beat a bit faster. He could feel something, in the air or maybe it was in his head. But, he knew something was off.

He walked into his living room in time to see Sue and Seth taking their seats and Leah walking in. He stopped, looked at her. Really _looked_ at her. When he was 13, after the Kelly Mona incident. He had gone to a pow wow with his sisters. He remembered seeing Leah and Sam playing in the waves with some friends. At 17, Leah had captured his attention for the sole purpose of she had breasts and was in a bikini. The same girl stood before him now, but six inches taller and something different. The smiling face that had been slightly obscured by Sam was still before him. Sadness, hesitation, and _something else_ in her features. She was shorter than him by a couple inches, but her copper skin was still glowing, inviting. Same ebony hair, chopped just below her ears, he wanted to touch it, _it looks so soft._

_Erhrm_

He heard a throat clear. His head snapped to his dad, then to the others they were all intently looking at him, he felt his face burn a little, he took his place next to Rachel. He was keenly aware that Leah only shut the door, didn’t take the only seat left which would be right across from him.

“Sue, Seth, Leah,” Billy started, “You all have been invited because we, as two families, have to discuss something that affects us both.” He nodded to Rachel.

“Oh, I’m directing this?” She asked, wide eyed. Jacob began to shake his knee, what could be so important, and why did Rachel have the answer?

“Okay, well,” She got up and stood in front of everyone, motioning to Leah to sit. Seth moved to take Rachel’s place, somewhat between Leah’s now vacant seat and Jacob’s seat. He still had a view of her, not directly before him but more to his right.

“Okay. Um…” she paused and grabbed her notebook from the dining room table, “Okay so…Um, I’d like to begin with Tuesday, October 18th, three nights ago.” She looked at her notebook, biting her lip. She looked back at their group in their semi circle.

“So Leah experienced what I’m dubbing sleep-phasing. She experienced this throughout the night but had no memory of it the next morning. During patrol that night, Quil and Brady felt a wolf phase in but heard no thoughts or anything else unusual. They described it as similar to that of Jacob after the Cullens left Forks.”

Jacob let his eyes wonder to Leah who only looked intently at Rachel and not him. He wanted to ask questions but felt like Rachel wouldn’t let him. He also figured Rachel would get to him and last night’s events too.

“The following morning, Leah woke up with soreness and physical effects she usually has post-patrol. But no memory of patrol or phasing. That night, Wednesday, she sleep-phased again. We know this because of similar symptoms yesterday morning, along with dried mud on her legs, but also because of a witness. Wednesday night, Sam, the only one on patrol, felt the presence of a pack mate in wolf form but no actual thoughts. Through use of tracking Leah’s scent he caught up to her, and he found her near the Cullen’s abandoned house. Leah’s wolf form did not react to another wolf near her. In fact, Sam growled to gain her attention and she merely ran away from him. At this, Sam tried to use an Alpha Order on Leah to stop her but only received a brief attack from her instead. He followed up at the house where Leah had no memory of the night before.”

Jacob’s eyebrow furrowed, what was going on with him and Leah. He opened his mouth to speak but Rachel gave him no time.

“Now, last night similar events occurred, but this time with Jacob.” Billy, Seth, and Sue all looked at him. “While Leah and I were hanging out by the Cullen house, drinking and socializing with two guys we met at The Bar.” Rachel blushed a bit, “we heard a growl and next thing we know, Jacob, in wolf form, jumped out in front of us. He growled at the two men, and turned to us,” Jacob stared at Rachel, he didn’t remember growling but last night was blurry.

“After calling out his name a couple times, Jacob, still in wolf form, ran off. This morning, it was obvious to me that the incident was not very coherent in his mind. Is that correct, Jacob?”

He nodded, opened his mouth, but Seth beat him to speaking. “Is he going through the same thing as Leah?”

_What?_

“Yes, sort of.” Rachel sat down, jotting down something in her notebook.

“What’s going on with Leah?” He asked, and then more words spilled. “Are you okay? Are we sick? Is this what the lunch is about? Are we getting some sort of Wolf Flu? Did I hurt you guys last night? Are you alright, Leah?” The last question was directed to her, Leah’s head snapped to face him. There it was again, like the night of the Pow Wow. A pull. He wondered briefly if he had felt this before, but he knew he hadn’t. It wasn’t the pull of an imprint like his pack mates’ memories, it wasn’t anything he could dub as “love” either. It was something baser, primal. He was acutely aware of her scent he realized. Billy’s and Rachel’s had been stronger, living in this house. When the Clearwaters’ had entered, they had all mixed scents. Sue and Seth’s, while not unpleasant, were easily drowned by the sweet scent emanating from Leah. It was a scent of lavender and something else, heat and skin and if he let his mind linger too much in it he knew he would faint.

“You’re not sick, per se.” Rachel answered for them all. “We’re alright. No, you didn’t harm us. You and Leah are both going through something that I can explain further on, but no it is not a flu. I want to know what you remember from last night.”

The room was quiet, expectant. “I…I just remember feeling the need to run. And, I ended up at the Cullen house. I saw you two with those,” Jacob briefly felt his anger flare, “guys and I don’t know. I wanted to…protect you from them.” He scrunched his nose. Admittedly, looking back, he wanted to protect Leah from the curly haired one. And his instinct to protect Rachel had been different. But he wasn’t sure if he needed to mention the distinction. This conversation was weird enough already.

“Can we just get this over with?” It was the first time Leah had spoken. She was shaking her knee, like him. She was also breathing heavily, and his felt his eyes focus on her neck, he could smell her scent stronger now, something mixed in the lavender and Leah. His dropped to her breasts beneath her loose t-shirt, he wondered how soft her skin would be beneath his fingers. He tried to focus on something else, her legs well copper toned and never-ending in her shorts and simple flip flops. Seth’s head snapped to him then to Leah, his nostrils flared, nose scrunched in disgust.

“Oh gross, yeah, I second that.” Jacob furrowed his brows, but looked down anyway. _What the hell is going on?_

Rachel nodded, “Uh, well umm.”

“Jacob.” Billy spoke. He wheeled himself closer to him, breaking the circle they had created, and a little bit of the tension filling the air. “My grandfather was the alpha of his pack. You son, were meant to be the alpha of your pack.” He paused, took a deep breath. “Now that this pack has a female, it also means she was meant to be the alpha’s mate, your mate Jacob. It is as our ancestors have determined, that the strongest male and female form an Alpha Pair.”

There was silence after that. Jacob staring at his father, trying to decipher the words but also drowning in the scent of merely feet away from him. Jacob to a deep breath. There were so many questions in his head, his ears pricked at sounds around him. He could hear four heartbeats, normal, if a little elevated. But the fifth heartbeat, was stronger, a deep sound, beat by beat he could practically feel it. The heartbeat, the scent, the breathing and the almost electric pull he felt were all coming from the same person, Leah.

“I can’t be here.” Leah practically leapt off the couch. And ran out the door. Jacob didn’t know what to do, he breathed deeply and then suddenly, it all went back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of you! To those who have stuck by this story from the very beginning, a literal year ago, I am very sorry that I am only updating until very recently. Life got in the way, but I am hoping to be able to finish this story, truly. To those getting these uber quick updates and know nothing else, don't get too used to them. I had this material before and honestly wanted to get them out because it had been so long. I want to finish this story but am not sure where. I've had this idea back when I first read the Twilight Series and it always nagged at the back of my head. Now, I have a plan for at least 8 more chapters but if I go with a recent crazy idea this story will become far more blown out. So my only request is please continue to have the patience you've had with me thus far. Thank you for that, for your kind words and for following this Blackwater story. I want Jacob and Leah to get their much deserved happy ending. Once again, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!


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